It takes less than two minutes for the squad to fully lock into formation in the TransCanada office in Westborough, Massachusetts. As added insurance, each of them twists open a tube of super glue, slathers the adhesive on their palms, and joins hands with their arms across their chests. A TransCanada employee stares perplexedly at the protesters, tells them that he called the cops, and politely asks everyone to unlock. Devyn Powell, a 20-year-old Tufts junior who has been appointed the group's spokesperson, draws her line in the sand: "This isn't against anyone in this office, but we're not leaving until they stop the pipeline."

The first cop arrives on the scene 10 minutes into the disturbance, and he is not amused. As he paces around the protest circle, explaining the concept of private property, he racks his brain for some solution to the unprecedented conundrum before him — they don't get too many glue-ins around these parts. A few minutes pass, and a second officer arrives, followed by the Westborough chief of police and, minutes later, a fire truck. Even with all the king's horses and all the king's men, though, the first responders call for an outside locksmith.

In the meantime, since one cop failed to separate the protesters with sheer force — by attempting to pry their hands apart — the medics move to unseal the glue in a more delicate manner. By scraping and peeling, they manage to eradicate most of the gobs, and erode whatever's left with swabs soaked in nail-polish remover. Once the protestors are unglued, about an hour and a half into the fray, additional help arrives. Like the cops who called him, the locksmith appears anything but thrilled to be there; he puts his tools down anyway, and begins to drill the ankle lock on UNH senior Ben Trolio.

In a 10-minute shower of sparks, the locksmith manages to free everyone's legs using the same technique — but that's the easy part. Someone still has to crack through eight $100 "New York Fahgettaboudit" locks, made of case-hardened, triple-heat-treated boron manganese steel. The manufacturer, Kryptonite, is so sure of the impenetrability of their locks, they'll replace your bike if the product is compromised. Faced with that challenge, the locksmith gives up and takes off.

NEXT UP: PORTLAND

The gang has so far raised more than $2000 — for bail commission fees, fines, and other expenses — through their website. As they await their court date, they've been speaking out about their January 7 shake-up. This Saturday, January 26, they'll align with 350 New England and other activist groups in Portland, for a protest against ExxonMobil's Northeastern tar-sands pipeline.

Sands of time Even as gathering signs point to the inevitable construction of the Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline through middle America, tar-sands opponents convened in South Portland on Monday night to oppose the transport of that same viscous petroleum product through Maine.

Generation gap It’s an uneven show with a dour vision that leaves a mediciny taste in your mouth — and, I think, offers signs of a generation gap among curators.

Opening pitch The most moving moment of this year’s Boston Symphony Orchestra opening gala came before the concert started — the standing ovation for James Levine, who looked rested and recuperated after his kidney surgery this summer, an operation that forced him to cancel most of his Tanglewood season.

Mobile-home game The intersection of Brookline Avenue and Lansdowne Street, in the hours before, during, and after a Red Sox game, is not unlike a trading floor on pre-crash Wall Street: it’s chaotic, teeming with people, and everyone’s trying to make a buck.

Sweet release I don’t want to waste your time waxing philosophical about the problematic logic behind qualifying music “good” or “bad,” much less pontificating on whether “sophisticated punk” is an oxymoron.

Saving Marriage Roth and Henning, dedicated partisans, were everywhere with their cameras in those historic years 2003–2006.

Living la vida Republican Trying to find college Republicans in Boston is like looking for a flattering pair of jeans: they’re elusive — either too stiff or completely out of style.

CZARFACE SOARS ABOVE THE CLOUDS | February 11, 2013 This week 7LES and Inspectah Deck drop Czarface , a full-length work of adventurous genius revolving around a metal-clad protagonist who feeds on destruction.

THE BPD ADDS INSULT TO INJURY | February 05, 2013 At times, this kind of decision makes you wonder whether the BPD is saving its best awards for officers who've been involved in the death of civilians.